Drum drier for web with radiant heater



Oct. 21, 1947. F. w. ADAMS DRUM DRIBHi FOR WEB WITH RADIANT HEATER FiledApril 2, 1945 IIIIII/IIIIIIII/I/III III/11111111!!! I III/III mvmrox 4Floyd W/ldam; BY

ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 21, 1947 2,429,538 DRUM DRIER FOR WEB wrrn nmrnaRADIANT Floyd W. Adams, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor to Los AngelesPaper Box Factory, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of CaliforniaApplication April 2, 1945, Serial No. 586,214

1 My invention relates to an apparatus for drying a web of material,whether paper, fabric or other material. An important. object of theinvention is to provide a method and means whereby moisture, in the formof steam generated by radiant heat, may be removed from such materialunder less than atmospheric pressure.

Another intent is to carry out the foregoing object without bringing thematerial being dried into contact with a hot metal surface, which maydry the material too quickly and char the sur- My invention also has forits objects to provide such means that are positive in operation,convenient in use, easily installed in a working position and easilydisconnected therefrom, economical of manufacture, relatively simple,and of general superiority and serviceability.

The invention also includes novel details of construction and novelcombinations and arrangements of parts, which will more fully appear inthe course of the following description. However, the drawings merelyshow and the following description merely describes one embodiment ofthe present invention, which is given by way of illustration or exampleonly.

In the drawings, like reference characters designate similar parts inthe several views.

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal, sectional view of an embodiment of theforegoing objects, taken on the line l-l of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken on 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, the reference number 5generally indicates a drum that is rotatably mounted upon bearings 6.The body of the drum 5 is perforated, as suggested at l, for a purposehereinafter more fully described. A ring gear 8 is arranged on theperiphery of the drum 5 to be driven by suitable gear means (not shown).Support means are indicated at 9 for the bearings 6. A bar II) also onthe support means 9, in turn supports a partition 12 within the drum 5.The partition l2 extends from side to side within the drum and may beslightly dished, as shown in Fig. 2. End walls l3, disposed within thedrum 5 and mounted on the partition 12, aidin closing the space Hbetween the partition and the circumferential wall of the drum. A pipe25 connects the space I 4 with any suitable means (not shown) forproducing a vacuum. A resilient gasket l5 provides a substantiallyair-tight fit between the partition l2 and the drum 5, and a resilientgasket l6 provides a similar fit between the end walls l3 and the drum5.

In order to insure a close fit between the gaskets l5 and I6 and theinner face of the drum 5, I provide spring means II to urge the gasketsthe line into a yielding fit. The coil spring l1 slides- 3 Claims. (Cl.34-122) lengthwise of a core member 18 that holds the spring inalignment. The core member I8 is threaded to receive a nut l9 thatrestsin a recess on the bar [0. The nut is useful in adlusting the tension onthe spring I! and thereby on the packing, to take up for wear. Pins 20,slidable in openings 2| in the bar In, guide the movements of thepartition IZunder the infiuence of the spring I! and to resist turningmovements of the partition 12 with the drum.

- A hood 22 is likewise mounted on the support 9 andarranged inspaced-relation around the rotating drum 5. The hood is suitablyinsulated exteriorly, as shown at 23. Interiorly the hood has a seriesof radiant gas burners 24. These may be of the type shown in myco-pending application, Serial No. 558,869, filed October 16, 1944, onProcess and apparatus for drying paper," or, if preferred, infra-redlamps may be used. Either of these heating means will 'providepenetrating heat, which is desired. It is believed clear to thoseskilled in the art that suitable connections are made to the heatingmeans.

The present method may be described in connection with the operation anduse of my present apparatus. It is, of course, a well known fact thatwater boils at less than 212 F., when subjected to less than atmosphericpressure.

My present method and apparatus take advantage of this fact, in order toremove moisture from the material by the expenditure of less heat.

A web 28 of wet material, such as paper, fabric or other wet materialrests on the drum 5 and travels around with the surface of the drum.

In the case of paper, this web 28 may have as F., and draws steamgenerated therein, throughthe openings 1 into the space M, and therefromthrough the pipe 26. Of course, the greater the vacuum, the lower theboiling point. Since no hot metal surface contacts the material, theintensity of the heat can be relatively high with out injuring thematerial 28. Inasmuch as the temperature of the undried material cannotbe raised above the boiling point of the moisture in the material, aslong as there is any water left in it, high heat'intensities can beemployed without injury to thematerial, consequently ef-.

i'ecting a fast and economical drying.

While I have illustrated and described what I now regard as thepreferred embodiments of my invention, the construction and the stepsand sequences ofsteps are, of course subject to modifications withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of my invention. 1, therefore, donot wish to restrict myself to the particular form of construction,steps, or sequences of steps described beyond the ends thereof, a-longitudinally ar,,

ranged transverse partition within the drum andterminating'short of theends thereof, resilient gasketmeans sealing between the lateral edges ofsaid partition and the inner surface of the drum, :1 segmental end wallunitary with and extending from each end of the partition, eachwallhaving a curved edge conforming generally to the inner curvature ofthe drum, resilient gasket means sealing between said curved edges andthe drum, said partition, end walls, and that portion of the drum thatis subtended by the partition between the walls defining a vacuumchamber, longitudinally spaced means interconnecting the fixed memberand the partition for exerting pressure on the latter to effect intimatesealing contact of both gasket means .with the inner surface ofthe drum,and radiant heat means applied to the outer surface of the web wherebythe resultant evaporation of moisture in the web is drawn into thevacuum chamber through the drum perforations.

2. Apparatus for drying a web of moist material, comprising a perforateddrum mounted on end hearings on which said drum is rotatable to move aweb trained therearound, a fixed member extending longitudinally throughthe drum and beyond the ends thereof, a longitudinally arrangedtransverse partition within the drum and terminating short of the endsthereof, resilient gasket means sealing between the lateral edges ofsaid partition and the inner surface of the drum, a segmental end wallunitary with and extending from each end of the partition, each wallhaving a curved edge conforming generally to the inner curvature of thedrum, resilient gasket means sealing between said curved edges and thedrum, said partition, end walls, and that portion of the drum that issubtended by the partition between the walls defining a vacuum chamber,

tact of both, gasket means with the inner surface of the drum,said:latter means comprising tension-adjustable springsapplied to theends of the partition and to at least one intermediate portion thereof,and radiant heat means applied to the outer surface of the web wherebythe resultant evaporation of moisture in the web is drawn into thevacuum chamber through the drum perforations.

3. Apparatus for drying a web of moist material, comprising a perforateddrum mounted on end bearings on which said drum is rotatable to move aweb trained therearound, a fixed member extending longitudinally throughthe drum and beyond the ends thereof, a longitudinally arrangedtransverse partition within the drum and terminating short of the endsthereof, resilient gasket means sealing between the lateral edges ofsaid partition and the inner surface of the drum, a segmental end wallunitary with and extending from each end of the partition, each wallhaving a curved edge conforming generally to the inner curvature of thedrum, resilient gasket means sealing between said curved edges and thedrum, said partition, end walis,'and that portion of the drum that issubtended by the partition between the walls defining a vacuum chamber,longitudinally spaced means interconnecting the fixeddrum, and radiantheat means comprising a plurality of heater units disposed in an arcuatearrangement concentric with the drum for uniform spaced relationthereto, said means thereby applying uniform heat to the outer surfaceof the web on the drum to evaporate moisture in said web, and saidvacuum chamber being effective to draw said moisture evaporation throughthe drum perforations. l

FLOYD W. ADAMS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name I Date 776,197 Nistle Nov, 29, 19041,025,822 Millspaugh May 7, 1912 1,438,129 Milkey Dec. 5, 1922 1,742,365Moone Jan. 7, 1930 1,862,909 Russell June 14, 1932 2,252,181 Hunter 'etal Aug, 12, 1941

